


Clans of Norway: World Building & Allegiances

by Em_The_Anxious_Dragon



Series: Clans of Norway [1]
Category: Warriors - Erin Hunter
Genre: Worldbuilding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-03
Updated: 2021-02-03
Packaged: 2021-03-14 01:40:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 14,867
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29163603
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Em_The_Anxious_Dragon/pseuds/Em_The_Anxious_Dragon
Summary: Along the cold shores of Norway live four clans, a reflection of our known friends around the lake, but with sharp differences. Let's see what makes them so unique...
Series: Clans of Norway [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2140815
Kudos: 3





	1. The Origin of the Four Clans

**Author's Note:**

> This work is dedicated to storing all the unique worldbuilding I've put into the worlds of the Norwegian warrior clans, including the unique roles and cultural distinctions. The Allegiances contains two sets of allegiances: one that is stylized like the allegiance at the beginning of a Warriors novel, and a link that is updated with each short story as the roles and characters change. For chronological reading, please see the Story Order chapter.

"Alright, little ones, settle down. Get comfortable. The story you're about to hear tonight is the most important story in all the clans. It is the tale of how each clan came to be. It is a story of battles, of diplomacy, and of StarClan's guidance. Story-Keepers of all four clans pooled their collective knowledge together into a pure account of our past, unbiased by any one clan. It deserves respect."

"Can I get something to eat while you tell the story? Stories are better with food."

"Why not. Growing kits need full bellies. But I'm starting the story whether or not you're here."

"Sleettuft, why?"

"Because I'm just as excited to tell it as your clanmates are to hear it. Now, where should I begin? The best place to start is always the beginning. In this case, the beginning of everything.

"Before the clans, before cats and humans and the strange world we call home, there was the sky. The sun and the moon were two cats joined in harmony with one another, watching over their peaceful world. But they were alone. They had only each other for company. And so, Sun proposed an idea to Moon. With their great power, they would create life. Moon agreed. Sun burned with energy, bringing his ideas into reality as spirits. Moon breathed body and soul into those ideas like a bird filling her nest with eggs. Moon trusted Sun to create beautiful creations. The two sent their creations to the ground and filled it with plants and animals. Their favorite creations were the cats, crafted in their shape. All their creations had free will and could choose how to live their lives. Not all of Sun's ideas were so pure, however. Even the sun has nightmares, and from those nightmares sprang monsters. Moon brought the monsters to life because she did not know their true nature. The only desire of these monsters was chaos and bloodshed. By the time Moon realized her mistake, she and Sun had used so much strength, they could not reverse their decision. It was up to their true creations to handle them and the pain and sin they brought to the world. With the last of their strength, Sun and Moon cast a message into time itself for their most beloved creations."

"Are they dead?"

"They cannot die. They still float above us, always watching. They cannot interfere directly beyond the light of Sun and the glow of Moon.

"Their message moved through countless moons, searching for someone who could hear them. In this time, the world formed. Cats and humans and all the creatures we know lived through generation after generation. In this time, all their creatures struggled and fought against their monsters. In this time, there was a large group of wandering cats, hunting as they went. They were led by two mates; Seal's Pelt and Yew. As they passed the coast of the ocean, this weary group of travelers were attacked by one of the most dangerous monsters of the world. A mara. A living nightmare.

"It was a brutal slaughter. Many of their group died defending themselves from the mara. They only won because Seal's Pelt and Yew led the mara into the ocean to drown. The spirits of the dead floated above them, watching the events unfold, and they were terrified. The dead wished to protect their loved ones, from then until the end of time. And so, the message of Sun and Moon found its messengers.

"As Seal's Pelt, Yew, and their travelers mourned, the first stars appeared in the sky. The fallen appeared in front of them as glittering spirits of stardust. This new group, StarClan, as the Sun called them, would guide Seal's Pelt and Yew to form permanent homes by the shore. StarClan glimpsed the power of Sun and the prophetic power of Moon and would guide the living to form the first Clans. Under their guidance and blessing, the two leaders were renamed Sealstar and Yewstar. The two were forced to separate and lead two separate clans. Sealstar formed SealClan, adoring the ocean that saved them, while Yewstar took to the cliffs for protection forming CliffClan.

"With the voice of the Sun and the Moon alive once more, StarClan banished the monsters to the far reaches of the world. If they wished to harm the clans, they would have to face the wrath of StarClan. Their appearance in our territories is rare now. The only threats the clans would have to face would be those of nature, not nightmares. Sealstar and Yewstar developed the first traditions of the clans. Our roles, our duties, and the earliest rules of the code."

"But where did ElkClan and PuffinClan come from?"

"That's where our story becomes more grounded, in my opinion. In the later moons of Sealstar and Yewstar's reigns, there was a CliffClan warrior named Deerfoot. Deerfoot felt like an outcast from the clans for their whimsy, idealism, and wit. They were not alone in that regard. They gathered like-minded cats and approached the leaders with a proposition. They said 'Give us the forests beyond the shore and let us form our own traditions. We do not belong amongst the worshippers of SealClan or the warriors of CliffClan.' The leaders agreed, and StarClan gave their blessing. Deerfoot became Deerstar, the first leader of ElkClan. They formed the role of story-keepers thanks to their passion for the stories of the clans.

"PuffinClan, meanwhile, formed much more recently than you may imagine, when the fields were shared by CliffClan and ElkClan. Puffinflight was a CliffClan counselor who felt that CliffClan was becoming a violent place. The leader at the time, Egretstar, disregarded counselors and put warriors as cats of high importance. CliffClan was becoming dangerous. Puffinflight dreamed of a more diplomatic clan. When she found the time, she would explore the open plains shared by CliffClan and ElkClan. She shared her opinions with others, who saw the makings of a new opportunity in her words. One night, she snuck to the Hollow to confront StarClan on this change. She claimed that StarClan spoke to her and told her to take her followers to the plains and form a new clan. Over the course of a moon, she organized her followers and made the plans. While the CliffClan cats went to the Gathering, Puffinflight gathered her followers, including the seer, healer apprentice, and Egretstar’s former pregnant mate, and left the camp, making their way to the plains. They declared themselves PuffinClan.

"War began between CliffClan and the new faction, one that could not be solved through diplomacy. When PuffinClan tried to go to a Gathering the event erupted into chaos and fights. Many cats lost their lives. Puffinflight was renamed Puffinstar. It was moons later, when the seer of PuffinClan, Clawedfur, and her former apprentice but now seer of CliffClan, Grousefall, began to fight along the shaky borders of the two clans, did the first seer of CliffClan, Mackeralshine, rain down from StarClan in an explosive, fiery blast. Mackeralshine declared that StarClan had carefully discussed the issue of the new clan. Puffinstar’s new faction deserved the chance to make a new clan for like minded cats. StarClan sided with PuffinClan, yet demanded the war end. Clawedfur and Grousefall brought their clans together and told them of the decision. Puffinstar was more than ready to repair the bonds. Yet, Egretstar’s old mate was now Puffinstar’s deputy. Egretstar attacked Puffinstar, and in the scuffle, Puffinstar killed the leader, taking his last life. His successor, Tanglestar, gave PuffinClan their new territory. 

"And so four clans live by the shore under the blessing of StarClan. It is said when we die and join the ranks of StarClan, appearing as a star in the sky, we will be able to speak to the Sun and the Moon ourselves. They give their power to StarClan, who guides the paws of all clan cats."

"So without CliffClan, the other two clans wouldn't exist!"

"Exactly. I'd say that's something to be proud of."


	2. Prefixes and Suffixes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There are many monsters in the stories of the clans, but it is considered cruel to name a kit after monstrous beasts. A chapter on monsters may come in the future.

A cat's name is an important part of who they are in the clan. Their prefix represents something about their appearance, family, or culture while their suffix shows what they've accomplished in life. You can learn a lot from a name.

**Prefixes**

Accentor

Acorn

Adder

Albatross

Alder

Algae

Amber

Ant

Antler

Arch

Arnica

Ash

Aspen

Avocet

Badger

Bark

Barnacle

Bat

Beach

Bear

Beaver

Bee

Beech

Beetle

Berry

Birch

Bittern

Black

Blizzard

Blossom

Blue

Boar

Boulder

Bounce

Bracken

Bramble

Brant

Breeze

Briar

Bright

Brindle

Brine

Bristle

Broken

Brook

Brown

Brush

Bumble

Bunting

Bustard

Buzzard

Capelin

Cardinal

Cave

Cedar

Char

Cherry

Chickadee

Cinder

Clawed

Cliff

Cloud

Clover

Coast

Cod

Coot

Cormorant

Cotton

Courser

Crab

Crake

Crane

Creek

Cricket

Crooked

Crow

Cuckoo

Curlew

Daisy

Dandelion

Dapple

Dark

Dawn

Deer

Dew

Dipper

Dog

Dolphin

Dotterel

Dove

Dowitcher

Draba

Drift

Drizzle

Duck

Dunlin

Dunnock

Dusk

Dust

Eagle

Echo

Eel

Egg

Egret

Eider

Elk

Elm

Ember

Evening

Falcon

Fallow

Feather

Fennel

Fern

Fidget

Fin

Finch

Fire

Flame

Flip

Flounder

Flower

Fly

Fog

Fowl

Fox

Freckle

Frog

Frost

Furze

Fuzzy

Gadwall

Gallinule

Gannet

Garganey

Ginger

Godwit

Golden

Goose

Gorse

Grass

Gravel

Gray

Grebe

Grouse

Guillemot

Gull

Haddock

Hail

Half

Halibut

Hare

Harrier

Hawk

Hazel

Heath

Hedgehog

Heron

Herring

Hollow

Holly

Honey

Hound

Ibis

Ice

Ivy

Jackdaw

Jaeger

Jagged

Jay

Junco

Kelp

Kestrel

Kink

Kite

Kittiwake

Lark

Leaf

Lemming

Light

Lightning

Lily

Linnet

Little

Lizard

Lobster

Long

Loon

Loud

Lutefisk

Lynx

Mackerel

Magpie

Mallard

Maple

Marten

Merganser

Merlin

Milk

Mink

Minnow

Mint

Mist

Moon

Moorhen

Moose

Morning

Moss

Moth

Mottle

Mountain

Mouse

Mud

Murk

Murre

Murrelet

Myrtle

Needle

Nettle

Newt

Night

Nut

Oak

Ocean

Orca

Oregano

Oriole

Osprey

Otter

Owl

Ox

Oyster

Pale

Partridge

Pebble

Pelican

Perch

Petrel

Phalarope

Pigeon

Pine

Pipit

Plover

Pochard

Pod

Pollack

Pollen

Pond

Poppy

Porpoise

Pounce

Pratincole

Ptarmigan

Puffin

Quail

Rabbit

Rail

Rain

Rat

Raven

Razorbill

Red

Reed

Reindeer

Ripped

Ripple

River

Roach

Robin

Rock

Roller

Rook

Root

Rowan

Ruff

Russet

Sage

Salmon

Salt

Sand

Sanderling

Sap

Scaup

Scorch

Scoter

Sea

Seal

Sedge

Seed

Shadow

Shag

Sheep

Shell

Shimmer

Shining

Shore

Short

Shoveler

Shrew

Shrike

Silver

Skua

Sky

Slate

Sleek

Sleet

Slug

Small

Smew

Smoke

Snail

Snake

Snipe

Snow

Soft

Soot

Sorrel

Spark

Sparrow

Speckle

Spider

Spotted

Spruce

Squirrel

Starling

Stem

Stilt

Stoat

Stone

Stork

Storm

Stream

Sun

Swan

Swift

Tall

Tansy

Tawny

Teal

Tern

Thistle

Thorn

Thrush

Thunder

Tide

Tiny

Toad

Torn

Trout

Turtle

Twig

Twilight

Twite

Valerian

Vetch

Violet

Vole

Vulture

Walrus

Warbler

Wave

Weasel

Web

Weed

Whale

Whimbrel

Whinchat

White

Wigeon

Willet

Willow

Wolverine

Worm

Wren

Yarrow

Yellow

Yew

**Suffixes**

Belly: joyful, charismatic

Blaze: intense and passionate

Branch: camp-body, a patriotic cat that represents all that the clan holds dear

Brook: a precise and meticulous cat

Burr: a strong willed, stubborn, and loyal cat

Call: a loud cat, a natural leader

Claw: a good fighter

Cloud: a relaxed cat

Dapple: a ticked cat

Dawn: associated with the promise and victory of another day, this is for successful cats!

Dusk: a grounded cat, down-to-earth.

Ear: cat with notable hearing

Eye: cat with notable eyesight

Face: a handsome cat

Fall: a cat who has survived hardship but come out on top

Fang: good at hunting and fighting

Feather: a kind hearted cat

Fire: a hard working cat, one who never gives up

Flake: a reflection of their ancestor (i.e, Sparkpelt could have been Sparkflake)

Flight: good diplomat

Flower: parental, maternal, protective

Fog: mysterious, interesting, filled with secrets/knowledge, often for wise cats

Foot: good at running, fast

Frost: careful and precise

Fur

Heart: a highly moral and self assured cat

Leaf: strong plant knowledge, love of plants

Leap: an athletic cat

Leg: notably tall or short cats

Light: positive, welcoming, hopeful

Mask: a cat willing to shift their life and the status quo for the greater good.

Moon: a very spiritual cat

Nose: a good tracker

Patch: a patched cat

Path: a natural teacher and mentor

Pelt

Petal: gentle, caring, considerate

Pool: a good strategist

Scar: a scarred and battle worn cat

Seed: a cat with lots of potential

Shade: a stealthy cat

Shine: uplifting, pleasant, inspiring

Song: a cat with a particularly soothing or notable voice

Splash: a cat who made a big impact on the clan as an apprentice.

Spot: spotted cat

Spring: excitable, energetic, youthful

Step: paired with the prefix to describe how someone walks

Stone: steady, unmoving, powerful

Storm: unpredictable, dynamic

Stream: a good swimmer

Stripe: stripe cat

Sun: an innovator, someone who represents the virtues of the sun (imaginative, intelligence, grand)

Tail: agile

Throat: a good story teller

Tide: a social cat, pushing and pulling the clan along.

Tuft: a long haired cat

Whisker: a good hunter

Wing: idealistic, someone who is always changing things up


	3. Story-Keepers, Counselors, Healers, & Seers

Unlike the clans around the lake, the Norwegian clans have a few special roles. One of these roles is the story-keeper.

Part historian, part lawyer, the story-keeper's job is to uphold the code and protect the history and culture of the clans. They hunt alongside warriors, but only join in battles when it is all paws on deck. They are said to be blessed by StarClan with stronger memories than other cats. They become experts in the code and upholding it, supporting code-breaking cats in trials to determine guilt and punishment. They also investigate crimes within their clan, preparing for trials in some cases.

Their mentor teaches them all the stories they are entrusted with, both of real events and of folklore. They hunt and fight as well, but this is their speciality. They are police, lawyers, entertainers, and the key components to keeping the legacy of the clans alive. Each story-keeper likes to find an aspect of clan life to memorize, study, and flourish, like the history between two clans or stories about a certain historical figure.

Counselors are healers of the mind. They advise the members of their clan on their troubles and help them cope with their issues. They know diseases of the mind and may consult the healer if they believe a certain herb could help a clanmate with their struggles. Beyond being clan therapists, they are diplomats. Counselors will meet with other counselors of different clans to discuss the relations of their clans. They will resolve internal clan conflicts. Some learn to hunt, but in more plentiful moons, some generations of counselors may not learn the skill. They are not permitted to fight. They only know basic battle moves in case a fox or badger attacks them.

The role of the medicine cat has been split in two. The management of herbs and the healing of physical wounds is the role of the healer. Healers can have a mate and kits, so long as they have a fully trained apprentice who can assist them. Seers deal in connecting to StarClan, interpreting signs and advising their leader directly. They're like nuns in a way. They're married to StarClan, so they can't have a mate or kits. This rule doesn't apply in PuffinClan, oddly enough. In PuffinClan, seers have the same rules for mates as healers do.


	4. The Warrior Code

The Warrior Code is both a generalized moral code and the law of the land at the same time. Cats will definitely break the code a few times in their life, but not all code breaking leads to a trial. The code includes important and unique elements of the world not mentioned in other chapters.

* * *

**Part 1: Loyalty**

  * You are loyal to your clan above all else.
  * Put the needs of your clanmates over your personal desires.
  * Respect the clan hierarchy. Keep your superiors in check, but honor their wisdom and skill.
  * The weak are to be aided. Kits, queens, and elders are cared for first.
  * Any kit, regardless of status, is to be protected and aided.
  * While romantic relationships with loners and kittypets is forbidden, an unmated molly will not be questioned for disloyalty if she becomes a queen and does not claim any toms in the clan as the father. This is to protect the health of kits and the future of the clan. The queen may be watched for treasonous behavior after the fact, however.
  * The bond between mates is sacred. Take no other mate while you have another.



** Part 2: Hunting **

  * Hunt only in your clan’s territory.
  * Kits, queens, elders, and the sick and injured eat before all others. Apprentices do not eat until they have hunted for the elders.
  * Hunt only to feed the clan. Prey is precious and cannot be wasted. Respect the life of the prey and StarClan for the successful catch.
  * Prey can be chased a tail-length over a clan’s border, with no cat going beyond four body lengths.
  * Diseased and rotting prey is buried or discarded beyond clan territory.
  * Cats cannot eat before journeying to the Hollow.



** Part 3: Territory **

  * Territory belongs to your clan. Challenge anyone who crosses the borders.
  * To access another clan’s territory, cats must wait by the border for a border patrol and state their intention. Respectable intentions include giving a report to another clan or asking for help.
  * Cats traveling to the Hollow or Stacked Stones may cross borders to get to their destination.



** Part 4: Battle **

  * Protect your clan with your life.
  * Kill only in self defense. While battle becomes tense and bloody, the death of a warrior is a serious matter. Cats may still be punished for the death of a clan cat even if the cat succumbs to their wounds days after the battle.
  * Counselors, healers, and seers do not fight and are considered noncombatants. Killing a counselor, healer, or seer is punished extremely.
  * Individual fights between clan cats are investigated by story-keepers.
  * Gatherings are times of peace. No fighting is allowed.



** Part 5: Leaders **

  * Leaders have the suffix -star at the end of their name.
  * Deputies become leader of the clan when the former leader loses their last life. The seer accompanies them to the Hollow to speak to StarClan and receive their nine lives.
  * Leaders are to serve the best interests of their clan by guiding them through the moons.
  * Leaders perform naming, mating, and rank ceremonies.
  * Leaders are expected to guide hunting, border, and battle patrols and continue providing for the clan like a warrior.
  * Leaders judge cats who break the code through trials.
  * Leaders are not perfect. It is up to the clan to keep their leader in check and, if they are hurting the clan, to call them out.
  * To determine if a leader is abusing their power, the deputy, healer, and seer must carefully consider the situation and consult as many cats as possible, from their own clan to counselors to the leaders of the other clans to StarClan itself.
  * If a leader must be disposed of, the deputy, healer, and seer are to confront the leader with the news. If the leader was not drastically breaking the code and other moral rules, they may be demoted to a warrior and the deputy shall take over. This is a last resort. Should the leader not peacefully resign, warriors will be brought in to take care of the conflict. If the leader is alive by the end of the disposal, they will go with the deputy to the Hollow to revoke any lives remaining and take back their old name.
  * Should a leader wish to retire into the life of an elder, they will go to the Hollow and revoke their lives and leader’s name, returning to their old name.



** Part 6: Deputies **

  * Leaders must pick a new deputy by moon high the day the previous deputy dies, retires, is exiled, or is promoted to leader.
  * A new deputy can come from the warriors, story-keepers, or counselors.
  * A deputy must have mentored at least one apprentice to be eligible for the position.
  * A deputy from the counselors will be trained in combat by the leader.
  * Deputies organize patrols and report back to their leader.



** Part 7: Warriors **

  * Warriors join border patrols to keep the scents fresh and challenge trespassers.
  * Warriors fight predators, rogues, and other clans. They are the main protection of the clan.
  * Warriors join hunting patrols to collect prey for the clan.
  * A new warrior must take a silent vigil guarding the camp throughout their first night of warrior-hood.
  * Warriors assist in repairing dens and maintaining the camp.



** Part 8: Story-Keepers **

  * Story-Keepers investigate possible breaks in the code to determine wrongdoers. They interview witnesses and examine evidence.
  * When a leader calls for a trial, one story-keeper will represent the innocence of the accused cat while another will attempt to prove the cat’s guilt.
  * Story-Keepers memorize the traditions, history, and stories of the clans in order to guide the clan and keep their legacy alive.
  * Story-Keepers join hunting patrols and may join in a battle when extra claws are needed, but they are saved for dangerous situations.



** Part 9: Counselors **

  * Counselors treat the hearts of their clanmates and keep up the clan moral.
  * Counselors are bound to silence regarding what a cat told them, unless it threatens a clanmate.
  * Counselors learn to hunt, but do not learn how to fight.
  * Counselors must not be harmed nor must they harm another clan cat. Counselors who attack other cats without reason may be stripped of their role as a counselor. Those who attack counselors face harsh punishment.
  * Counselors are to learn the disorders of cat behavior and may learn medicine to help their clanmates.
  * Counselors are to support the diplomatic interests of their clan, yet search for peaceful negotiations before resorting to violence.
  * Counselors from separate clans meet along the border and discuss issues from their own territory. Clans without connecting borders (SealClan and PuffinClan, ElkClan and CliffClan) should meet at the Stacked Stones.



** Part 10: Inter-Clan Relations **

  * Half clan relationships are explicitly forbidden.
  * Friendships are acceptable, but cats must maintain their loyalty to their clan before inter-clan friendships.
  * All clans meet at the Stacked Stones during a full moon to discuss the moon’s events.
  * Seers meet at the Hollow during the half-moon after a Gathering to commune with StarClan.
  * Healers go to the Hollow in the half-moon before a Gathering to discuss the medical state of the clans.
  * The clans cannot unite to drive another clan out.
  * Should the existence of a clan be threatened, the clans must come together to support one another.



** Part 11: Seers & Healers **

  * Seers and healers are protected from injury and battles. Should you see a seer or healer during a battle, do not attack them. 
  * Seers are devoted to StarClan. They are not allowed to take mates or have kits. Seers who were once warriors, story-keepers, or counselors do not have to give up their mates.
  * Healers can have mates and kits only after they have finished training an apprentice.
  * Seers and healers are not taught to hunt or fight.
  * Healers manage the physical health of clanmates, treating them with the plants found throughout their territory.
  * Seers interpret signs from StarClan, protect against influences from the Eternal Tide and any strange beasts, and bless the clan.



** Part 12: Apprentices **

  * A kit becomes an apprentice when they reach the age of six moons, or two seasons.
  * Apprentices have the suffix -paw at the end of their names.
  * Seer and healer apprentices seal their apprenticeship by going to the Hollow.
  * Apprentices are assigned a mentor in their preferred role to protect them and teach them the ways of clan life and their chosen role. Mentors should not be kin to the apprentice.
  * No relationships with apprentices are allowed.
  * Apprentices perform the clan’s basic chores, including moss collection, nest cleaning, grooming elders, repairing dens, and any assignments given to them by older cats.
  * Warrior apprentices must pass a battle test before they can participate in planned clan battles.
  * Apprentices are protected from death in battle, though they may be injured. While death is avoided for all, killing an apprentice brings worse punishment upon the code-breaker.
  * When a warrior mentor believes their apprentice is ready to earn their full name, the apprentice is sent out alone through the territory to hunt and check the borders, all while the mentor watches.
  * Story-keeper apprentices are quizzed on their knowledge of the code and folklore before they earn their names.
  * Counselor apprentices lead negotiations during a meeting with another clan to earn their name.
  * Seers give their apprentices their full names during a half-moon meeting.
  * Name suffixes are chosen based on the cat’s personality and talents. Leaders or seers/healers should consult the cat’s mentor, family, and close friends to find the perfect name.



** Part 13: Kits, Queens, & Elders **

  * A cat is a kit until they are six moons old at the earliest.
  * Queens will not give their kits cruel or bizarre names.
  * A mated couple (or single queen/father) has the primary power over their kits, but the kit’s survival and well-being is everyone’s concern. Kits can be taken from their parent(s) should it be appropriate.
  * You shall not attack a pregnant queen.
  * Kits are not to leave the camp until they are apprentices.
  * Should a leader become pregnant, their deputy will lead in their stead until the kits are apprenticed, though the leader can still perform many of their duties as a queen.
  * If a deputy becomes pregnant, the leader is to choose a temporary deputy to assist them until the deputy’s kits are apprenticed.
  * Senior cats may retire from their duties and spend the rest of their days as elders.
  * Elders are to be honored and respected.



** Part 14: Trials **

  * When a cat is accused of breaking the code, the clan will configure a trial. The leader presides over the preceding, performing the needed ceremonial steps while the deputy keeps the peace. A story-keeper is assigned to defend the accused while another attempts to prove the cat’s guilt. Witnessing story-keepers should pay close attention to the proceedings to record them in their impeccable memory.
  * A trial’s necessity and intensity depends on the severity of the crime. Simple, every day issues of disobedience can be handled without a trial. 
  * Trials are public affairs, so the entire clan is able to witness them and bear judgement on the accused.
  * Both sides of the trial present their arguments to the leader. Each story-keeper can call upon witnesses, the memory of story-keepers, physical evidence, and even signs given to the seer to support their case.
  * At the end of the trial, the accused speaks out about their actions, whether they committed the crime, the reasoning of the issue.
  * The leader takes time to think through the results of the trial. When the verdict is in, they will call a clan meeting and reveal the cat’s punishment.
  * Accused cats are confined to camp until the verdict of their trial is in. What they discuss with their story-keeper and any counselors who offer comfort is private.



** Part 15: Punishment **

  * Clan grooming
    * Punished for: Misbehaving apprentices. The apprentice gets to groom any cat who wants a good grooming for the rest of the day.
    * Trial Requirements: no trial needed
  * Apprentice tasks
    * Punished for: Sneaking meals, crossing borders, starting fights. Adult cats treated like apprentices. Temporarily demoted.
    * Trial Requirements: Needed for more intense issues, need to teach young cats a lesson.
  * Meal Revocation
    * Punished for: Sneaking meals, shirking duties, breaking a border law. Banned from eating, between one meal to a full day/night. Stuck in camp for entirety of punishment
    * Trial Requirements: Too delicate a punishment to need a trial
  * Hunting for other clans
    * Punished for: killing in self-defense/during battle, stealing prey. Either feed the family of the dead for nine days or hunt four pieces of freshkill for the clan.
    * Trial Requirement: Yes
  * Gathering rights revoked
    * Punished for: disloyalty, half-clan relations, killing in self-defense/during battle, starting unwarranted fights, insulting other clans. Can’t go to gatherings for a while.
    * Trial Requirement: sometimes yes, sometimes no.
  * Public clawing
    * Punished for: endangering clanmates, severe disloyalty, forbidden relationships, intense border crossing. The deputy/leader attacks the cat in the middle of camp, clawing down all four legs and sometimes the back, deep enough to leave long cuts. Must sit for a short amount of time and suffer their wounds silently before seeking treatment, with no cats talking to them. Used sparingly and seriously, with some leaders never resorting to the practice.
    * Trial Requirement: Always
  * Camp confinement
    * Punished for: intimate relationships outside the clan, killing in self-defense/during battle, endangering kits. Stuck in camp for nine days.
    * Trial Requirement: Most of the time, only rarely is a trial not needed.
  * Clan silence
    * Punished for: disloyalty, causing the death/severe injury of a clanmate without desire to harm, hurting an apprentice/kit without desire to maim. The clan doesn’t talk to or interact with the accused for nine days, stuck in camp.
    * Trial Requirement: Always
  * Isolation
    * Punished for: The death/severe injury of a clanmate without desire to kill, severe code breaking. Cat forced to live outside the clan and be avoided for nine days.
    * Trial Requirement: Always
  * Exile
    * Punished for: treason, attempted murder, plans that would result in death. Banished from the clan forever, will be killed if they return.
    * Trial Requirement: Always
  * Execution
    * Punished for: murder, intense treason, the worst crimes ever. Dragged out of camp and killed.
    * Trial Requirement: Always.




	5. SealClan

**Religious Beliefs**

  * SealClan’s connection to the water has infused a rich understanding of StarClan into their culture. They care deeply about the mystical fates of cats and clans and what StarClan has to say. Their seer is just as powerful as their leader in deciding the fate of the clan. SealClan can be cult like at times, demanding total obedience to the code and StarClan’s wishes. Everyone has their place in StarClan’s grand design. 



**Territory**

Their territory has the most human interaction, as many humans take their water monsters out on the sea and hunt for fish. Still, the humans that come to their territory don’t wander the shorelines where the cats hunt and prefer to stay in their dens, especially during winter. The coast isn’t a solid thing and branches out into small rivers, streams, and brooks that run throughout the inland territory.

The Island

  * Only accessible during low tide, when a small bridge extends to the island just off the coast. Covered in tall pines, the island is big enough for a hunting patrol to explore and bring back plenty of fresh kill for the clan. When the tide rises, the island once again becomes an island and strong currents whip around the shore, making the crossing dangerous for even experienced swimmers.



The Crab Dens

  * A long patch of soft sand where crabs like to burrow. SealClan is the only ones that know how to hunt and eat crab, making it once again a great private food source. It’s also a romantic spot for mates to wander as the sun sets behind the sea.



Seal Cove

  * SealClan wouldn’t be complete without seals! There’s a tiny cove in SealClan territory with large wet boulders where the seals love to gather. Sometimes a walrus will appear and hunt down a seal. The cove is protected by a small cliff, where SealClan likes to train.



The Halfbridges

  * The humans built dens along part of the coast, and while they are avoided, their barnacle covered half bridges can become great fishing spots when the tide is right. Otherwise, cats will practice swimming and play around in the water.



The War Cave

  * Only accessible by diving at a special spot along the territory coast and swimming through a short tunnel system. Because of this, only adult cats can access this area. The underwater tunnel opens into a large cave of stalactites, bats, rats, and other creatures of the dark. The only source of light is a paw sized hole at the roof of the cave, but it’s enough light for cats to see. If there’s a plan to be made for a battle, a mission, a quest, or other matters that require conversation, cats will meet up here.



The Stone Tree

  * An abandoned lighthouse. To the clans, it is a stone tree created by the humans to watch the seas. Old clan stories tell of its one giant eye that held a star inside, the soul of a dead cat. It’s a haunted place for SealClan full of human debris and dangerous items, but journeying to the top of the tree, to the Stone Tree’s eye (which has been closed for a long time), is a common practice.



SealClan Camp

  * SealClan camps at the highest point of their territory. It’s dangerously close to CliffClan, but that means only the fiercest storms and tides can reach the open camp and they can spot attackers coming from a long ways away. The camp’s slope helps establish the strong hierarchy. Warriors and apprentices sleep in two dens that mark the bottom of the slope and the camp exit. Story-Keepers and counselors make up the next layer of dens, with the story-keepers sleeping in a large covered hole. After that is the dirt place exit, the elder’s den, and the fresh-kill hole, where prey is piled up in a hole carefully maintained by elders. The nursery, a small cave that burrows just under the camp, is opposite of the holy den. All these dens led to the path towards the very top of the cliff, where the leader sleeps. For announcements, the leader jumps on a rock in the center of the camp.



**Attitudes/Techniques**

  * SealClan are the resident swimmers of the warriors world, teaching all their members how to hold their breath, withstand the cold, dive deep, and fish.
  * SealClan is the only clan who eats crabs. To hunt them, they go behind the crab’s pincers. When they pounce, they have to pin down the crab’s arms and bite through the tough shell for a proper kill. It takes a while to learn. An apprentice catching a crab is a great sign of maturity and skill.
  * SealClan will exile anyone who has a half clan relationship. However, the clan does not connect the wrongs of a parent to the wrongs of a kit. They will allow half clan kits to stay in their clan without their parent. Whether the parent gets to see their kit or even allow the kit to know who they are depends on the leader.
  * SealClan’s counselors are silently regarded as the reason the clan sticks together despite the sometimes grating feeling of their religion. It’s not that it’s always bad in SealClan, but it can get restrictive with certain leaders. With a good leader, they can live a peaceful life. Bad leaders can turn SealClan into a self destructing cult with terrible mental health.
  * SealClan cats love to mimic seal calls. It weirds other cats out.
  * SealClan has a superiority complex thanks to their strict rule following.
  * Appearance is very important in SealClan. Major injuries and disabilities that negatively affect appearance can be insulted and discriminated against.
  * SealClan has a generally high rate of anxiety and nervousness, kept hidden below the perfect external imagery.
  * SealClan knows the best way to groom claws and keep them sharp for hunting and fighting, yet usable for other habits.
  * Punishments are harsh for code-breakers, yet forgiveness is welcomed afterwards.



**Folklore**

Stories from SealClan always have a moral to them. Some are about heroes who save the day and overcome villains by following the code. Some are about unfortunate protagonists who break the code and face the consequences, learning why the code is valuable. The favorite historical stories follow a similar trend. SealClan cats love the stories of how certain rules were invented.

Notable stories-

  * Duskfur The Seer; a tale of why seers must not take mates. Duskfur is so distracted by pleasing her mate and kits and keeping them safe, she misinterprets signs and leads ElkClan into a gruesome battle where her mate is killed.
  * The First Counselor; the legend of Oceanheart, a kind hearted and diplomatic SealClan warrior who introduced the role of counselor into the clans.
  * Sparkstar’s Greed; the tale of a deputy who killed her leader and quickly lost all nine lives and the life of her new deputy
  * Swanthroat the Cursed; Runningfoot of CliffClan tried to hunt a swan, but every time could not catch it. He realized StarClan didn’t want the swan to die, and when Runningfoot talked to the swan, she transformed back into a young warrior, who had been cursed by a cat of the Eternal Tide. Used to show how warriors must trust StarClan’s wishes.
  * Suneye and the Stone Tree; a very old story of how a drowned cat’s soul was put inside the Stone Tree by StarClan to watch the sea and protect SealClan.



**Traditions & Ceremonies**

  * Older apprentices will test their strength by trying to swim to the War Cave. Older cats have warned apprentices against it for years, but they still do it. Once and a while an apprentice will drown and that generation will finally get the lesson, but their kits will make the same mistake.
  * The first warm day of the year, SealClan will journey to Seal Cove for a day of sparring and seal watching. Hunting is encouraged and everyone mingles.
  * SealClan story-keepers journey to the top of the Stone Tree when the moon is gone in order to share their knowledge and stories with one another. Even though they live together, this helps create back-up memories in case a story-keeper dies before sharing their stories with an apprentice. It’s a night of storytelling!
  * The birth of a new litter is precious to the clan. Once the seer gives a birth prediction, the family parades to a soft part of the coast to wash the kits in sea water, connecting them to their ancestors.
  * SealClan connects the anger of the sea to StarClan’s strength. A calm sea is a powerful StarClan, because the stars will reflect off the surface. When a storm rolls in that makes the sea thrash and scream, story-keepers will journey to the coast and recite the names and stories of the recently dead of SealClan to give StarClan strength.
  * Dead cats are set to drift in the ocean.
  * To determine if a cat went to the Eternal Tide or to StarClan, the seer takes a counselor to the top of the Stone Tree and asks the dead to send the more emotionally tuned counselor a sign. The counselor will either be filled with a flood of happy calm, or filled with fear and anger. That feeling is the dead cat telling the clan where they are.
  * Counselors prefer to discuss the sensitive matters of their clanmate’s hearts on the Halfbridges if they need advice on how to help. Two counselors discussing a topic on the Halfbridges is considered sacred. They are not allowed to share what the other said to anyone else.
  * If a cat wishes to be someone’s mate, they present a beautiful shell from the coast. That shell usually stays in the other cat’s nest for the rest of their life. It’s their love shell.
  * There’s a lot of tradition for SealClan weddings- their mothers accompany them in a procession to the leader at the edge of the camp cliff, they are expected to give a little speech to each other, they must be perfectly groomed, it has to happen at night, everyone watches, and at the end, everyone cheers their names.



**Common Genetics**

  * Speckled tabbies
  * Silver, blue, and white fur
  * Thick, but not long fur, for better swimming insulation
  * Laperm cats
  * White spotting




	6. CliffClan

**Religious Beliefs**

  * CliffClan’s religion is as pragmatic as its founder. All traditions have a practical use to the clan’s survival and future, even if that purpose is clan moral. Large parts of the clan’s interpretation of StarClan come from the belief that all clans are one in the afterlife and admittance is rewarded based on leading the life of a proper warrior. Due to that, CliffClan is more democratic and accepting of various types of cats, yet falls into dull routine often and ‘warrior’ traits like fighting, bloodthirst, and strength push other roles to the side in terms of the future leader.



**Territory**

CliffClan overlooks the ocean and claims the steeps drops and rocky ground of the south as its home. The territory is riddled with caves, tunnels, and secret places where strange plants grow.

Bouldershake

  * A tall pile of loose stones and rocks, consistently grown as humans (working in a quarry just beyond the territory) dump them over the upper cliff. A wonderful spot to search for prey who made their homes between the rocks, but has two major dangers. Snakes live within the rocks and while you can climb up them to get to the top of the cliff, you risk causing a rockslide and killing yourself and your friends.



The Lower Beach

  * A sandy beach just below the tall cliff where the clan camps. Filled with natural debris (old logs, fish carcasses, etc). Cats climb on the old logs to fish, but the spot is usually used for training, as cats can learn how to climb up the tight paths across the cliff face to get back to camp.



Hollow-Roofed Cave

  * One of the caves in the territory where the roof of the cave is filled with holes to the hill above, creating thick streams of light. A rather pretty place that the more tender and dreamy CliffClan cats adore.



The Tunnels

  * A vast system of stone tunnels that runs throughout CliffClan territory, opening into some of the caves dotting the cliff-faces and into random spots around the territory. Easy to get lost in, can be flooded or filled with dangerous predators. Yet, also has underground creatures to hunt and provides unseen paths to important places.



The Underground Forest

  * A deep hole, only accessed safely through the tunnels. Filled with mushrooms of various types, seemingly endless chamomile, and lots of plants for the healers. 



CliffClan Camp

  * Formed from a large natural cave in one of the biggest cliffs. Each den is formed from a smaller cave within the main cave. Warriors, counselors, and story-keepers sleep together. Occasionally stalactites will fall into the camp from the roof. Half of the cave is wide open to show sunlight and the glittering ocean. Cats can either access the camp through a tunnel leading to the surface or by going down the cliff face to the Lower Beach. Kits are not allowed near the big entrance. The leader makes announcements from their den, which is situated higher than the others. There are plenty of small nooks and little dens that various generations claim as their private spots.



**Attitudes & Techniques**

  * CliffClan cats can climb cliffs! They know how to scale tiny paths like mountain goats and navigate up rocky terrain. It’s easier to just find a different way, but highly useful when you live around so many cliffs.
  * Since CliffClan also borders the coast, they’ve learned how to fish. They don’t have the same skill with water that SealClan does, though.
  * CliffClan counselors will often trade their large chamomile stashes with the counselors of other clans. Since the plant has such a calming effect and grows well in the Underground Forest, the counselors use it as a bargaining chip. It’s their main supply, but they’ve developed a habit and tradition to bargain with other clans using herbs.
  * They aren’t big fans of doing something just for the sake of doing it. Everything has to have a purpose, from the hierarchy to why we tell stories.
  * Their focused lifestyle means they are expert organizers. Their patrols are meticulous and timed so that they are consistently protected and searching for prey at all times.
  * CliffClan is the best at dates and times. They track the specific times of the day based on the direction the rocks cast their shadow and monitor the passing of years. They taught the clans how to track days and weeks with the moon as well.
  * CliffClan knows how to relax, it’s just that they have specific times to relax, and they are fine with that!
  * Warriors are given higher importance than story-keepers and counselors thanks to the survivalist attitude of the clan.
  * Some story-keepers have devoted their lives to mapping out the tunnels and making sure no cat gets lost.
  * There are rumors that, through the strange assortment of plants in their territory, CliffClan healers have a supply of poison they use to end the lives of cats in too much pain.
  * CliffClan is the only clan to hunt and eat bats, since they have so many caves in their territory. It’s tough hunting, but it’s similar to catching a bird in flight.



**Folklore**

CliffClan love good historical stories. For them, historical stories have the purpose of informing new generations of the triumphs and mistakes of their ancestors, giving them guidance to make their own choices. There may be a touch of embellishment to make CliffClan seem great, but every clan does that.

Notable stories-

  * The Fire of the Long Heat; a story of when a fire devastated the ElkClan forest one hot summer, crawling into CliffClan territory. A few heroes were made as they saved cats from the fire.
  * The PuffinClan War; the legend regarding the long fight to keep PuffinClan as part of CliffClan, yet their differences split them apart.
  * Wavekit and the Polar Bear; one of the few tall tales of CliffClan where a young kit somehow sneaks out of camp and finds a polar bear.
  * The Poisoned Mushrooms; how, when the Underground Forest was discovered, a few cats tried to eat the mushrooms and got sick. A silly story of ‘don’t eat random things’



**Traditions & Ceremonies**

  * When the leader of CliffClan is faced with a major decision, they will discuss the issue with a representative of each role in the clan to get everyone’s opinions on the matter. They take this into consideration when deciding what to do.
  * In a similar vein, the CliffClan leader does not randomly choose a deputy. When the time comes, the warriors, story-keepers, and counselors select someone of their ranks whom they would like to become the next deputy. The leader doesn’t have to pick from them, but is highly encouraged.
  * When spring comes, the clan breaks in the heat with tournaments of strength, speed, stealth, and story-telling, designed to let out pent up energy from the cold winter. There are four challenges; the strength challenge, where pairs fight their way through different teams until one team succeeds. The speed test, where cats must quickly climb from the Lower Beach back to camp. The stealth test, where cats must hunt three pieces of prey without being spotted by the judges. Lastly, the story-telling competition, where the cat who comes up with the funniest story wins.
  * Summer is welcomed in with offerings to StarClan, where cats take flowers, fresh-kill, and other things to the Hollow. The seer dreams and gives the offerings to cats in StarClan, sending along well-wishes from CliffClan.
  * The autumn is time to honor the elders of CliffClan. They are presented before the clan and honored with grand stories of their greatest feats.
  * When the first big snowfall of winter arrives, the clan drags their nests to the center of camp and sleep as the story-keepers share tales of the most evil cats in the clans, now banished to the Eternal Tide. It’s said that, if the dead have a final message to share, they will bless the dreams of a CliffClan cat, whether they be from StarClan or the Eternal Tide.
  * Warrior apprentices get to accompany the leader or seer to the Hollow at least once in their training.
  * Warriors usually eat before story-keepers and counselors, but they still don’t eat before the kits, elders, and queens. It’s a bit taboo if the warriors don’t do this, but not exactly code-breaking.
  * Newborn kits get their name in a special announcement ceremony in front of the whole clan.
  * The dead are buried just outside the camp’s tunnel entrance so they may always feel close to home.
  * A proper mating proposal takes place in a cave, where the question is declared loud enough to create an echo that the dead can hear.
  * During a CliffClan wedding ceremony, the mates present each other with stones from the cave the proposal happened in. The stones represent the unbreaking bond of mates, only shined with the pressure of water and time.
  * Counselor apprentices welcome new apprentices into their fold by rolling in the chamomile of the Underground Forest.



**Common Genetics**

  * Black, lilac, cream, and brown
  * Tortoiseshell common
  * Little dilation
  * Solid pelts, colorpoint and sepia
  * Some folded ears




	7. ElkClan

**Religious Beliefs**

  * For ElkClan, StarClan is a mystery to unravel. Story-Keepers are given a high priority in the clan, as history and story is what StarClan is to the cats of ElkClan. That’s not to say they don’t believe in StarClan. However, they view StarClan as less of an overbearing religious jury but rather as mentors who teach through their pasts. ElkClan has a strong fear of the Eternal Tide due to the large collection of monsters and mystical stories they have. ElkClan considers the lessons their ancestors taught them before the signs given by StarClan.



**Territory**

Beyond the rocky coasts lies a thick forest of pine, spruce, and birch. Thick with vegetation, the territory carries a strange and haunted feel, of peace and eyes watching around the bend. Other clans feel claustrophobic amidst the trees, but the ElkClan cats love the feeling.

The Bear Cave

  * A semi-abandoned brown bear den near the PuffinClan border. Every winter, a brown bear will hibernate in the cave. The rest of the year, the cave is a temporary shelter and a hunting spot for mice and voles.



The Log Tunnel

  * A huge, dead, hollow log in the center of the territory. Cats love crawling through the tunnel and using it as a private meeting spot. Counselors flock there for meetings with clanmates. Filled with bugs that attract prey.



Deer Paths

  * Humans, deer, and other large beasts have carved out natural paths that snake through the territory. They are highly useful in getting to different spots of the territory quickly.



The Tree Den

  * An abandoned log cabin (once owned by the lighthouse keeper and their family), now crumbling and mold infested. The old garden now grows many valuable herbs for the healer.



Mud Pools

  * A clearing of dust and dirt that, when wet, transforms into thick mud. The go-to training spot for fighting.



The Scratching Oak

  * An ancient oak tree used for grooming claws. The branches are large and thick, making it another prime meeting spot. ElkClan loves to gather in the branches for stories.



ElkClan Camp

  * The camp is well hidden by a circle of pine and spruce trees. The dens are made out of bushes squished between the trees. The story-keepers have their own den while the warriors and counselors sleep together. A cracking tree stump acts as the leader’s den and announcement spot. The holy den has a stream running through the back as a source of fresh water. Lilies bloom around the nursery.



**Attitudes & Techniques**

  * ElkClan is the only clan that can climb trees.
  * The clan sometimes has issues with too few warriors and counselors and too many story-keepers.
  * Because ElkClan loves new knowledge, they have the most rogues, loners, kittypets, and half clan cats out of all the clans. They are willing to take in SealClan cats exiled for their relationship, even if the relationship wasn’t with an ElkClan cat.
  * ElkClan cats are very good at navigation. They mark trees and landmarks so they always know where they are.
  * ElkClan is often seen as the least loyal clan. Its members are highly likely to side with another clan if they think they are in the right. It’s a complicated opinion.
  * ElkClan experiments in hunting larger creatures like foxes, badgers, even boar, for prey. They’re willing to eat nearly anything for the sake of curiosity.
  * Counselors are willing to bargain for good stories.
  * Many rules of the code came from ElkClan. Their knowledge means they had a good understanding of the laws the clans need.
  * ElkClan has poetry!
  * ElkClan cats will not shut up.



**Folklore**

ElkClan loves the weird stories, the ones that seem impossible yet are rooted in the clan’s beliefs and mythology. They tell all sorts of stories since they love stories, but the weird ones are the best. They’ve introduced stories with mystical elements that aren’t connected to the clan religion thanks to their loner and kittypet genes.

Notable stories

  * Nofur; a horror story of a cat born without fur. She got so cold, her spirit froze inside her dead body. Now she wanders the territories, desperately searching for warmth inside a cat’s torn open chest.
  * The Blessed Moose; the legend of a moose that wanders ElkClan and blesses those who see him with good fortune and healthy plants.
  * Voices of the Drowned; a general story of cats from the Eternal Tide calling cats to bodies of water, even those as small as puddles, only to drag them under and drown them.
  * Beepaw and the Hive; an apprentice who learns to speak to bees and uses them to win a battle against SealClan.



**Traditions & Ceremonies**

  * Story-Keepers from ElkClan get to visit the Hollow during the new moon in order to share their knowledge and gather it throughout StarClan.
  * Naming ceremonies are marked with a story from a story-keeper beforehand, whether about the ones getting their names or their ancestors/mentors.
  * Vigils are more like traditional funerals, as clanmates will spend the night sharing stories of the dead cat. They are buried in their favorite spot in the forest.
  * For ElkClan’s more active members, a large group of apprentices becoming adults is celebrated through tree climbing competitions after the vigils of any new warriors. Competition winners get bragging rights.
  * ElkClan proposals are loud, showy, and made to dazzle.
  * The night before a mating ceremony, close friends and family of each prospective mate will celebrate, enjoying the night with light hearted mischief, stories, and excitement.
  * After a mating ceremony, the new couple and many clanmates will spend time at the Scratching Oak. Friends and family will share stories of the two cats as they hunt and enjoy their time. These parties usually bring back a feast of prey.
  * When ElkClan cats are stressed and overstimulated, counselors have developed a special mini-ceremony. They can take stressed cats to a quiet spot in the territory and declare a Moment of Silence, where no one is allowed to talk. The silence becomes strangely comforting.
  * When cats are deathly sick, the seer will scatter pine needles around the nest. Since they live in a forest of evergreen trees, pine needles are seen as signs of health.
  * The younger warriors have a hazing ritual for new warriors where they have to get on the back of a moose, elk, or similar large beast. It’s technically not allowed, but it still happens. 
  * Getting a flower for someone’s nest is a declaration of friendship, admiration, and strong bonds. Cats will often give healers flowers as thanks for saving their kin.



**Common Genetics**

  * Norwegian forest cats!
  * So much long fur
  * Huge
  * Ginger, red pelts
  * Lots of dilution




	8. PuffinClan

**Religious Beliefs**

  * PuffinClan considers themselves highly blessed by StarClan thanks to their founding story. They try to honor StarClan in everything they do, with similarities to CliffClan. However, this clan puts an emphasis on the little parts of life. Small actions like kindness over violence, fun for the sake of fun, and deep bonds between clanmates are meant to show StarClan affecting the lives of all cats.



**Territory**

PuffinClan claims the open rolling plains, taken from ElkClan and CliffClan. There are more trees in this area than in CliffClan, but with an open air similar to the stream filled shores of SealClan. Lots of large animals cross through here. The least amount of landmarks.

Eagle Roost

  * A dead tree where birds of prey perch and sometimes make nests. A dangerous area, but possible to kill a bird of prey and get a big meal. The birds hunt for prey around here.



Fox Rocks

  * A collection of rocks with a clever name. Filled with abandoned fox dens that need to be monitored for any other foxes



Puffin Pond

  * A pond fed by a stream leading back to the coast. The only place in the territory to find puffins and other water birds. It’s fun to splash around the shore.



The Golden Patch

  * A path of goldenrod and beautiful golden flowers. Lovely for training and romantic rendezvous.



PuffinClan Camp

  * A nod to their cliff side roots, PuffinClan camps in a deep dip in the plains, where warriors on the upper edge can see anything approaching. Counselors, warriors, and story-keepers all sleep together. Most of the dens are simple bushes going down the various layers of the dip, with the nursery and elder’s den near the bottom of the dip and the leader’s den where announcements are made in a boulder in the center.



**Attitudes & Techniques**

  * Counselors are highly valued in PuffinClan!
  * PuffinClan has learned how to run fast from the dangers on the plains since they don’t have a lot of cover.
  * They are the most likely to extend an offer to help a clan in need.
  * They are the most likely to have a cat in a half clan relationship.
  * Cats aren’t given the prefix ‘Puffin’ to honor the clan’s founder.
  * PuffinClan cats only start battles when they believe a deep seeded threat to the clan exists.
  * PuffinClan trials and counselor meetings are long and detailed. They want to make sure there is nothing left out.
  * PuffinClan has a unique view on the personal struggles of cats. They’ve come up with many ingenious terms for a cat’s various struggles that have been transplanted to the other clans.
  * PuffinClan has a deep cultural trauma. While only a few cats remember the founding of PuffinClan, the fear of someone trying to destroy everything you are is embedded in every cat.
  * Birds are special to PuffinClan! Cats go for the birds before any other prey, which means queens, kits, and elders eat birds the most.



**Folklore**

PuffinClan isn’t old enough to have too many stories coming only from their clan. They tend to tell stories of good over evil and heroes standing up for what’s right.

Notable stories

  * Cinderspring and the Warrior’s Feast; an apprentice becomes a warrior and is welcomed into a secret group where warriors take half the prey they catch for themselves. Despite threats, Cinderspring reports the group to the leader.
  * Silverkit’s Second Life; a kit who died too soon is reincarnated and guides his reincarnation to becoming seer.
  * The Tale of Puffinstar; the origin story of PuffinClan.
  * The Star-Crossed Leaders: the romance between Ravenstar of CliffClan and Palestar of SealClan.



**Traditions & Ceremonies**

  * PuffinClan cats propose over a shared bird. They will often go to the queens and elders at the time to ask that a bird be saved for the mating proposal then work hard in the early morning to secure a bird before the other clan mates.
  * PuffinClan apprentices and kits collect feathers for their nests. They will give feathers to cats they care about as well, including parents and mentors.
  * To honor the struggle between good and evil, after the first rain of spring, the clan will reenact the PuffinClan war, with moments like Puffinflight’s dream, the escape from CliffClan, the first Gathering, Clawedfur and Grousefall, and the final fight between Puffinstar and Egretstar.
  * Counselors collect egret feathers as symbols of good luck, often blessed by the seer. They bring the feathers to counselor meetings as gifts, signs of a strong relationship.
  * Counselors have a private ceremony for new counselors where they all head out into the fields and play like kits, enjoying a moment of immaturity.
  * On the coldest and hottest nights of the year, the clan celebrates Wild Night. They imagine what life would be like without the safety and structure of the clan. They race around the territory and may break most of the codes that don’t involve other clans. The days after are filled with hard work to show how the wild life of loners isn’t long-lasting or appealing.
  * This is the only clan where seers can have mates, but they abide by the healer rules of needing an apprentice.
  * A PuffinClan funeral is the saddest event you will ever attend, everyone gets at least a bit emotional to a level that seems melodramatic to the other clans
  * There’s an established graveyard just beyond the outer borders of the clan. If you’ve ever seen those little stone graves in fanart with flowers on them, that is what PuffinClan uses to mark the dead. Some Story-Keepers memorize who is buried where.
  * There’s a tradition called Lone Wandering. Cats declare they need time away from the clan to reevaluate their life or fulfill some private mission, and may return to the clan at any time, welcomed with open hearts.
  * There’s a small ‘cult’ in the clan that focuses their worship to the Sun and Moon rather than StarClan and try to bridge the divide between them and the deities.



**Common Genetics**

  * Bright pelts
  * Bigger ears
  * Orientals and rare sphynx cats
  * Highest levels of color diversity




	9. Borders & Holy Sites

**SealClan/CliffClan**

Part of the border is a tall cliff. CliffClan claims the top, SealClan claims the bottom. It’s the more flat and stream speckled half, where some of the best fishing spots are and the borders can shift with the seasons, that needs to be watched.

** CliffClan/PuffinClan **

The least solid of the borders, the eye can’t tell where one territory ends and the other begins. It’s all due to scent, making it heavily patrolled for code-breakers and trespassers. One of the only notable elements of the border is a large mossy stone, likely once part of the Stacked Stones.

** PuffinClan/ElkClan **

ElkClan’s territory ends a few tail-lengths from the last tree of the forest. This border is prone to shifting as the length of the distance and what is considered the ‘last tree’ is altered.

** ElkClan/SealClan **

There’s a stream that bends at an odd angle moving towards the Stacked Stones that’s often used as the border. There are very few disputes over the border as ElkClan has no need for fishing an the stream provides few debates.

* * *

**The Holy Sites**

In the center of the territories lies a ruin of moss and stone. Built by humans untold moons ago, their stone dens have slowly collapsed, leaving moss and vines and platforms piled together in awkward angles.

This place is called the Stacked Stones. Every full moon, the four clans gather among the moss to share tongues and events in peace. The leaders sit on the highest of the stones with their deputies below them. Walking under the highest stones below the strange arch is a right of passage throughout the clans. Unofficial meetings here are high blasphemy to StarClan.

Beyond the territories, however, is another sacred place. In the early moons of the world, lightning struck a mighty oak and split the inside apart, leaving a vast Hollow. This Hollow was blessed by StarClan as a place of communication, as the moon would shine through the open roof and shower cats with light. The half-moon after the Gathering, seers meet to share tongues with StarClan, while healers gather there the half-moon before the Gathering. The Hollow is the connection between the living and the dead.


	10. New Herbs, Diseases, and Conditions

** Herbs **

(Note: only herbs that are not found in the canon territories are listed here)

Wolfsbane: poisonous, but useful in warding off wolves, foxes, and dogs

Birch leaf buds: eaten for headaches and tick fever

Dandelion: use juice for warts

Cabbage: crushed leaves held to insect bite, wound

Celeriac: a traveling herb when eat the leaves

Sweet flag: juice used for inflamed eye, root spread over wound to stop infection

Arnica: Flowers for swelling, soreness, and bruising on wounds. Roots eaten for chest, pains, inflammation, fog-head, and joint pain.

Everlasting- eaten for stomach pain

Exploding Star (St. John’s Wart)- eaten for joint pain, rain-heart, grief, and severe stumble-cough, stem pulp rubbed on wounds for infection.

Oregano- eaten for sore throat, headaches, insomnia, anxiety, minor stomach aches. Chewed to pulp and applied for stiff joints, muscle pain, sprains. Never for pregnant queens

Roseroot: chew roots for energy, mood swings, anxiety, depression 

Valerian: roots eaten for seizures and calming cats

Ground elder: poultice for stiff joints. Eaten leaves for mild sedative

Sea Rocket: damages the heart

Corydalis: root eaten for energy, pain relief, and calming effect

Marsh-orchid: eating the tuber can ease bellyache

Sweet woodruff: chewed to pulp for wounds and cuts, eaten for bellyache. Don’t overdose, not for pregnant queens

Fragrant bedstraw: poultice for kit backaches.

Hoary Plantain: Can help inflammation and cuts. Put leaves in mouth with water for toothache, don’t swallow. Eat seeds to induce going to the dirt place

Cowslip: chewing the flowers is quite calming for kits, chewing the root helps with colds

Meadow Buttercup: poultice to chest for colds and coughs, sniff crushed flowers/leaves for headaches, apply chewed root to boils/abscesses, use with caution

Red clover: eat flowers for coughs

Wormwood: eat leaves for feather-head, bellyaches

Pine bark: chew for kitheart

Sage: eat leaves for kitheart, bellyache, heartburn, loss of appetite

* * *

** Diseases & Conditions **

Whitecough: colds, chest infection. Sneezing, coughing, white phlegm from nose, slight fever. Best treatment, catmint/cowslip

Greencough : pneumonia. Can progress from mild whitecough. Wheezing, coughing, pus from eyes, sneezing, fever, green phlegm from nose. Best treatment, catmint/feverfew

Coughs : Best treatment, tansy/cowslip

Chills: Best treatment: catmint, feverfew, lavender, licking fur opposite direction to warm them up

Poisoning: Best treatment, yarrow/nettle to vomit, or juniper/watermint/mallow for bellyache.

Rat bites: Best treatment, burdock

Joint aches: bet treatment: daisy, ragwort, exploding star

Feather-head : hookworm infection. Mostly seen in kits, dizziness, weight loss, sometimes paw pad irritation. Best treatment, wormwood

Foaming Madness : rabies! Cat must be killed once symptoms develop, or else they will become violent. Anyone bitten or scratched by a cat with Foaming Madness must have their wound heavily cleaned for infection and watched by the healer.

Stumble-cough : heartworm disease. Mild case has coughing, difficulty breathing, periodic vomiting, lack of appetite, weight loss. Sometimes struggles walking, fainting/seizures. Sometimes it makes a cat suddenly collapse or suddenly die. Can resolve itself but occasionally may leave permanent lung damage. Best treatment, rest for mild cases, sometimes eat exploding star

Fog-head : feline babesiosis, often strikes elders/poorly groomed cats. Poor appetite, lethargic, rain-heart, jaundice, red eyes Stay away from sick cats, no grooming. Best treatment, self-grooming, arnica (look up antiprotozoal herbs)

Rain-heart : cat depression. Best herbs, exploding star/chamomile

Spine fever : fever, back pain, dizziness, weakness. Best treatment, rest/feverfew

Tick fever : fever caused by ticks. Soreness, headache, rash, rounded red spot in the skin. Best treatment, good grooming, rest, birch leaf buds.

Cloud fever : listeria infection, extremely dangerous and more likely for pregnant queens, can pass it onto kits. Fever, aches, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, convulsions. A new case means clearing the fresh kill pile for infected prey. Often deadly if not caught quickly, best treatment, juice of wild garlic.

Fever : best treatment, borage, feverfew, lavender

Toothache: best treatment, alder bark

Wounds: best treatment, cobwebs and marigold

Sprain: best treatment, rest

Joint dislocation: best treatment, poppy seeds and shoving the joint in

Cracked pads: best treatment, coltsfoot

Broken bones:  set the leg, treat for pain

Heartburn: best treatment, juice of fennel. Catnip eaten can also help.

Anx iety: helpful herbs, oregano/thyme/chamomile

Shock/stress: best treatment, juniper berries/poppy seeds/thyme

Grief: helping herbs, poppy seeds/chamomile/exploding star

Panic attacks: best treatment, quiet, juniper berries, poppy seeds

Fireice: bipolar disorder. Exploding star can be good or bad, give carefully. Chamomile.

Kitheart: ADHD/ADD. Helpful herb, pine bark/sage

Battleheart: PTSD. Helpful herbs, valerian/thyme

Cloud feet: dissociation. Best herb, chamomile and strong smelling plants

Burr tongue: BPD, named for the harsh nature of sufferers. Best herb, exploding star to lift mood, valerian to calm.

Hunter’s guilt: anorexia/bulimia. Best use of herbs is often to provide strength or to encourage appetite. Sorrel is great to help cats build up appetite.

Haunted head: OCD, obsession. Exploding star can be helpful, some physical herbs needed for self-destructive behavior.

Madness: psychosis, psychotic episodes. Feed them poppy seeds and help them sleep through it.

Ghost sight: schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder. Can be confused with someone actually seeing their warrior ancestors at times

Star head: autism. Common phrases include “they’ve got star head”, “they’re star-headed”. Causes social strain on the cat, no herbs help.

Sleeplessness: insomnia. Painkilling herbs act as the best treatment

Stutterthroat: Tourettes! Pine bark can help.

Leaf love: addiction to various herbs in the medicine den. Sufferers often called ‘healer’s friend/healer friends’ in conversation. Best to not use herbs for treatment.

Lonerheart: strong social issues, extremely disconnected from the rest of the clan, antisocial.

Rogueheart: violent tendencies. Think sociopathy, psychopathy, narcissitic personality disorder, antisocial personality disorder.


	11. Allegiances

Use [this link](http://apawineachworld.com/untoldlegacy/?shareGuid=53c299f1-f1b9-c133-ffe5-8eb9203828fd) to view updated versions of this allegiance page. 

* * *

**SealClan**

Leader 

**Brinestar:** a gray speckled tabby tom with green eyes. 

Deputy 

**Freckletuft:** a brown speckled tabby molly with green eyes

Seer 

**Mountainleap:** a large, long furred, gray ticked tabby tom with green eyes.

Healer 

**Emberpool:** a dark red classic tabby molly with amber eyes.

Warriors 

**Jayleaf:** a silver mackerel tabby tom with green eyes.

 **Wrenlight:** a light brown ticked tabby molly with amber eyes.

APPRENTICE: **Podpaw**

 **Cuckoocloud** **:** a curly furred, almost blue speckled tabby molly with amber eyes. 

**Lightningfeather:** a cream ticked tabby tom with blue eyes.

 **Sprucefoot:** a dark brown speckled tabby tom with blue eyes.

 **Sappelt:** a golden speckled tabby molly with amber eyes.

Story-Keepers 

**Coaststorm** : a thin white molly with big ears, green eyes, and half a tail.

 **Coastbrook** : a thin silver ticked tabby molly with blue eyes and long legs.

APPRENTICE: **Flowerpaw**

 **Sparrowsong:** a light brown and white mackerel tabby molly with green eyes.

 **Salmonmask:** a cream and white molly with green eyes.

 **Ptarmiganflight:** long furred white ticked tabby tom with blue eyes.

Counselors 

**Lobsterspot:** a bright ginger speckled tabby tom with a blue collar, green eyes and white tipped ears and paws.

 **Redburr:** a curly furred red mackerel tabby tom with a fluffy mane and amber eyes.

 **Brackensplash:** a grayish brown classic tabby tom with light green eyes.

 **Beepelt:** a golden mackerel tabby tom with green eyes and bold stripes.

Apprentices 

**Flowerpaw** : a curly furred tortoiseshell with blue eyes.

 **Podpaw** : a curly furred gray speckled tabby tom with murky green eyes.

Elders 

**Railfur** : a brown broken mackerel tom with torn ears and murky green eyes.

 **Kitefall:** a brown tortoiseshell molly with blue eyes.

Queens

 **Magpieflower** : a gray and white speckled tabby molly with green eyes.

 **Needlecall** : a golden brown molly with a white belly and green eyes.

 **Alderfeather** : a warm golden mackerel tabby molly with blue eyes. 

**Rabbitface** : a mottled brown molly with a white tipped tail and blue eyes.

 **Torneye** : a ginger classic molly with a torn out eye leaving an empty socket.

Kits 

**Mothkit:** a creamy brown classic tabby tom with amber eyes.

 **Minkkit** : a slender lilac cream tortoiseshell with green eyes.

 **Yellowkit** : a lilac ticked tabby tom with brilliant amber eyes. 

**Reindeerkit** : a fuzzy chocolate tortoiseshell with green eyes, a white chest and a white tipped tail.

 **Leafkit** : a cute chocolate tortoiseshell with extra toes on all her feet and green eyes.

 **Gravelkit:** a long furred gray ticked tabby tom with blue eyes.

 **Walruskit** : a mottled brown tom with a white muzzle and green eyes.

 **Finkit** : a silver mackerel tabby tom with blue eyes and a totally white ear.

 **Antlerkit** : a ginger mackerel tabby with bold stripes and an awkward walk.

**CliffClan**

Leader 

**Lemmingstar** : a fuzzy round calico with a scarred shoulder and green eyes. 

Deputy 

**Rippedpool** : a black molly with green eyes and torn ears.

Seer 

**Rollerfall** : a curly furred dilute tortoiseshell with blue eyes and deep scars around her throat.

APPRENTICE: **Lynxpaw**

Healer 

**Hailbranch** : a large gray, almost white speckled tabby molly with green eyes.

> APPRENTICE: **Martenpaw**

Warriors 

**Fidgetflower** : a white tom with a faded black muzzle and green eyes.

APPRENTICE: **Lightpaw**

 **Palesplash** : a silver mackerel tabby molly with heavy scars on her back.

APPRENTICE: **Mistpaw**

 **Buzzardear** : A light brown mackerel tabby tom with big ears, green eyes, and a pointed muzzle.

APPRENTICE: **Briarpaw**

 **Harriershade** : A brown classic tabby molly with amber eyes.

APPRENTICE: **Honeypaw**

 **Charpatch** : An oriental tortoiseshell with a ticked ear, green eyes, and missing claws in her back left leg. 

Story-Keepers 

**Ashwhisker** : a large dark gray classic tabby tom with big paws and yellow eyes.

 **Sleettuft** : an old fluffy gray classic tabby tom with green eyes.

APPRENTICE: **Otterpaw**

 **Grebeshine:** a fuzzy dark tortoiseshell molly with murky amber eyes.

 **Beaverstone:** a muscular brown tom with green eyes.

Counselors 

**Goldenshade** : a fluffy golden spotted tabby molly with blue eyes and a fluffy tail.

APPRENTICE: **Fowlpaw**

 **Gooseleg:** a short white molly with amber eyes.

 **Loudstep:** a dark gray ticked tabby tom with blue eyes.

 **Spottedfoot:** a dark brown speckled tabby tom with bright amber eyes.

Apprentices 

**Honeypaw** : a fluffy golden classic tabby molly with green eyes and tufted ears.

 **Lightpaw** : a sleek golden spotted tabby molly with yellow eyes and big paws.

 **Otterpaw** : a dark brown ticked tabby tom with yellow eyes.

 **Martenpaw** : a dark brown spotted tabby molly with a white face and chest and blue eyes.

 **Mistpaw** : a fluffy gray ticked tabby tom with yellow eyes.

 **Briarpaw** : a light brown ticked tabby tom with green eyes.

 **Fowlpaw** : a black ticked tabby tom with amber eyes.

 **Lynxpaw** : a brown broken mackerel tabby tom with green eyes and big paws.

Elders 

**Brookspot:** a broad shouldered white and brown tom with green eyes.

 **Firestripe:** a pale ginger mackerel tabby tom with amber eyes.

 **Wigeonfur:** a brown ticked tabby tom with green eyes and a torn pelt.

Queens 

**Avocetcloud** : a pretty calico molly with folded ears and green eyes.

 **Brownleap** : a light brown classic tabby molly with strong legs and green eyes.

Kits 

**Pochardkit** : a tiny calico molly with folded ears.

 **Perchkit** : a white and light gold mackerel tabby molly with sharp stripes like a perch.

 ** **Milkkit** : **a white molly with folded black ears.

**ElkClan**

Leader 

**Nutstar** : a solid brown molly with white paws and amber eyes.

Deputy 

**Hazelear:** a brown mackerel tabby molly with a long scar down her shoulder and green eyes.

Seer 

**Spiderstor** **m** **:** a skinny black tom with white paws and green eyes.

Healer 

**Cranefeather:** a long furred, black and white patched tom with blue eyes.

 **Saltfrost:** a fluffy white molly with green eyes.

Warriors 

**Bearclaw:** a very large long furred dark red classic tabby tom with amber eyes.

 **Drizzlecloud:** a dark gray, long furred classic tabby molly with a white chest and green eyes.

 **Roachspring:** a mottled, dirty, long furred gray classic tabby tom with amber-red eyes, torn ears, curly whiskers, and a scarred muzzle.

 **Sunfang:** a squat, long furred, red speckled tabby tom with amber eyes. 

APPRENTICE: **Scauppaw**

 **Shovelerthroat:** a sleek bright tortoiseshell with green eyes.

 **Sorrellight:** a golden brown tortoiseshell molly with amber eyes.

Story-Keepers 

**Adderscar:** a fawn ticked tabby tom with heavy burn scars along his left face and front legs, a golden right eye and a blind, murky blue eye.

 **Berryfrost:** a silver and white colorpoint tom with blue eyes.

 **Cardinalblaze:** a bright long furred red classic tabby tom with a white chest and belly and green eyes.

 **Eiderburr:** a fluffy black and white tom with amber eyes.

 **Stonestep:** a soft dilute tortoiseshell molly with green eyes. 

**Vetcheye:** a blue ticked tabby tom with blue eyes.

 **Riverwhisker:** a long furred gray tom with amber eyes.

Counselors 

**Frogbelly:** a fluffy, long furred lilac mackerel tabby tom with tufted ears and a white patch wrapping around his shoulders and back.

 **Morningshine:** a slender cream molly with bright amber eyes.

APPRENTICE: **Smallpaw**

 **Rainsong:** a short blue molly with a flat face and blue eyes.

 **Grassleaf:** a long furred dark orange mackerel tabby molly with green eyes.

Apprentices 

**Smallpaw:** a tiny dilute tortoiseshell molly with green eyes.

 **Scauppaw:** a long furred, smoky black molly with amber eyes.

Elders 

**Stiltpelt:** an ancient gray molly with blind green eyes.

Queens 

**Partridgeleg** **:** a fawn caramel tortoiseshell with blue eyes and a missing back leg. 

**Darkheart:** a nearly black long haired tortoiseshell with a few tiny spots of ginger. 

**Stoatpool:** a long solid brown molly with a white jaw, chest, belly, and paws, and green eyes.

 **Skualeap:** a long furred lilac ticked tabby molly with murky blue eyes.

Kits 

**Harekit:** a nimble lilac and white patched tom with blue eyes.

 **Patchkit:** a lilac-cream calico with blue eyes.

 **Stormkit:** a long furred gray and white patched tom with blue eyes.

 **Starlingkit:** a lanky warm brown tabby tom with amber eyes and tufted ears.

 **Weaselkit:** a brown and white ticked tabby tom with green eyes.

 **Pondkit:** a mottled brown ticked tabby tom with blue eyes.

 **Bustardkit:** a light brown speckled tabby she-cat with amber eyes.

 **Porpoisekit:** a long furred smoky gray speckled tabby she-cat with green eyes.

**PuffinClan**

Leader 

**Whalestar:** a smoky gray tom with murky green eyes.

Deputy 

**Maplesong:** a russet mackerel tabby tom with amber eyes.

APPRENTICE: **Codpaw**

Seers 

**Archpelt** : a lanky brown speckled tabby tom with a long tail, long legs, and blue eyes.

 **Murkstream** : a black classic munchkin tabby molly with golden eyes.

APPRENTICE: **Thrushpaw**

Healer 

**Shimmerblaze:** a chubby ginger mackerel tabby with brown eyes. Nonbinary, they/them.

Warriors

 **Flounderfire:** a light brown speckled tabby tom with brown eyes.

 **Breezeclaw:** a golden and white ticked tabby tom with green eyes.

 **Elmpatch** : a largely ginger tortoiseshell with black patches on her face and flank and blue eyes.

 **Seabranch:** a silver speckled tabby molly with amber eyes and black tipped ears.

APPRENTICE: **Bumblepaw**

 **Hollyshine:** a dark ginger classic tabby tom with green eyes.

Story-Keepers

**Tallfur:** a lanky blue and white ticked tabby molly with small dark green eyes, a lanky muzzle, and scars on her shoulders.

 **Twigbrook:** a brown tom with white ears and green eyes.

 **Haddockpath:** a long furred silver molly with blue eyes. 

APPRENTICE: **Brightpaw**

 **Nettlestone:** a rough furred dilute tortoiseshell molly with bright green eyes.

 **Tawnytide:** a dark tortoiseshell she-cat with choppy fur and dark brown eyes.

Counselors

**Graythroat:** a gray Oriental tom with yellow eyes.

 **Snailnose** : a fuzzy, sandy brown speckled tabby tom with blue eyes.

 **Cormorantpetal:** a black molly with a white face, chest, and belly, and green eyes.

 **Ibisleap:** a blue and white ticked tabby molly with amber eyes.

 **Swiftflake:** a blue-gray tom with orange eyes and tufted ears

 **Newtstorm:** a bright ginger classic tabby molly with white paws and dark amber eyes.

 **Cliffstripe:** a fuzzy silver speckled tabby tom with blue eyes.

 **Ospreystep:** a bright, long furred, dilute cinnamon tortoiseshell molly with green eyes.

Apprentices

**Thrushpaw** : a light brown speckled tabby tom with blue eyes.

 **Codpaw:** a silver speckled tabby molly with blue eyes.

 **Brightpaw:** a shiny silver she-cat with amber eyes.

 **Bumblepaw:** a long furred cream mackerel tabby tom with folded ears, sharp stripes, and bright yellow eyes.

Elders

**Houndcall:** a matted cinnamon tortoiseshell molly with blind blue eyes.

 **Gingertail:** a orange tortoiseshell molly with golden eyes tinged with blue.

Queens

**Deerwhisker** : a beautiful cinnamon tortoiseshell molly with amber eyes.

Kits

**Dustkit** : a fluffy cinnamon tortoiseshell with blue eyes.

 **Troutkit** : a lanky brown speckled tabby tom with amber eyes, sharp spots and rough fur.


	12. Story Order

**Chronology**

Lobster’s Family

The Blood Bond

A Father’s Expectations

Whalestar Goes For a Swim

Four Seers & An Apprentice

Sibling Rivalry

  
  


**Publication Order**

The Blood Bond

A Father’s Expectations

Whalestar Goes For a Swim

Lobster’s Family

Four Seers & An Apprentice

Sibling Rivalry


	13. Worldbuilding Update #1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Other chapters like these may appear in this story in the future in order to provide future worldbuilding.

#1: Night Guards

The night has always been a dangerous time, even for the dark-loving cats of CliffClan. It is said that the night is when monsters are the strongest, hidden from the bright light of Sun and the glow of Moon. It's also a time when natural predators and even other clans can take advantage of the shadows and launch attacks. Therefore, each clan has night guards. 

The night guards change each day, and the traditions between the four clans are different, but the purpose and core remains the same. The deputy picks night guards from the warriors every night, who watch over the camp and the territory, calling the clan to battle or summoning a story-keeper should they see a threat. Warriors on night guard duty are joined by their apprentices. An apprentice is never put on night guard duty without their mentor. Newly named warriors are always chosen for the night guard as their vigil.

As said, each clan has a different tradition for night guard duty. CliffClan has the most structured night guard duty. The deputy picks four warriors and puts them into pairs, with apprentices always paired with their mentor and considered one of the four guards. The first pair sits outside the tunnel entrance to camp and watches silently until moonhigh. When that time comes, they awaken the other pair from slumber and change the guard. The second pair watches camp until sunrise. Deputies avoid putting warriors on night guard shifts more than one night in a row, so they aren't exhausted. The last pair is usually allowed to sleep longer once their job is done, but sleeping beyond sunhigh is considered lazy.

PuffinClan's night guard duties are the longest and shared throughout the three main roles. Apprentices are rarely given night guard duty in PuffinClan, as the long nights are exhausting for them. The deputy picks two cats to watch the fields from the top of the dip that PuffinClan calls home. They guard the camp throughout the night. They're expected to check all cats entering the camp and follow up on anything suspicious they sense in the area. Some cats, such as Nettlestone the story-keeper, shift their sleeping schedules so they are awake and active for the night guard. Those cats are called upon the most for this duty. Most don't mind being awake that long, as they spend quiet moments stargazing.

ElkClan could be considered lazy, as it seems to outsiders that they don't have a night guard. No one stands outside their camp. Yet try to walk in, you will experience fire from the sky. Over the course of the night, two warriors sit in the trees, watching the territory from above. They move around the camp, watching for troublesome kits or predators. Warriors must be skilled at tree climbing to attempt this. Another warrior always takes over at moonhigh. However, counselors will consistently check in with the night guard. Should they be too exhausted to continue their duties, a new warrior will take up the guard.

Lastly, there is SealClan. Working in pairs, one warrior is always patrolling just outside the camp, walking around as there are multiple spots to sneak through in the camp’s defense. The other warrior patrols the rest of the territory, ready to combat battle patrols or other enemies before they can get to camp. Once their patrol is done, the warrior guarding camp takes the patrol while a new warrior comes in to guard the camp. The patrolling cat will sleep until the next patrol returns and they continue guarding the camp. SealClan warriors are cat-nap experts.

#2: Seer Specifics

A seer’s role in the clan revolves around interpreting signs, advising the leader, and blessing the clan. Yet what exactly does a seer do on a daily basis? What makes them different from the traditional medicine cat? There are differences between the exact rituals and details of each clan, but they all have similar themes.

A seer begins their day by analyzing their dreams. StarClan is known for sharing information in dreams, so anything vital seen during those dreams should be thought through and discussed for a plan of action. But once that is done and the clan awakens, the seer cares for the clan’s good luck. The morning rituals of the seer change on a daily basis depending on what is needed and what clan it is, but some of the most common include blessing the nursery, protecting the camp through metaphysical means, leading meditations to praise StarClan and bless the day’s hunt, and reciting prayers over the injured that rest in the holy den.

With the morning rituals complete, the seer spends their morning searching for signs from StarClan, exploring the territory, and contemplating their belief. They’re often called upon by the leader and deputy to share their opinion on matters, whether that be a personal opinion or a message from StarClan. They also attempt to understand previously received messages from StarClan, as visions and prophecies often have cryptic layers thanks to the weak power of the Sun and Moon. Should the seer feel a ritual is needed, it will be conducted.

With sunhigh and the time of sharing tongues comes another set of rituals. These differ between the clans, but are consistently practiced. PuffinClan will go about camp with a prized puffin feather and touch each den as a reminder of Puffinstar and the gifts of StarClan. ElkClan waits until the sun casts no shadow upon the leader’s stump. Then the seer will touch their nose to the bark and recite the Prayer of ElkClan, a poem detailing the prized virtues of the clan. SealClan seers lead the clan through a group prayer, almost like saying thanks before a meal. It’s a short prayer, where the clan lays before the Highrock and allows the seer to thank StarClan for the day’s blessings. CliffClan cats ask the seers to examine their sunhigh meals for signs before they can eat. 

The afternoons mirror the mornings as the seer continues to examine the world for signs. There is more traditional work done during the afternoons however, as the seer assists with whatever work is required, such as helping fix dens or joining counselor meetings. Before a seer sleeps, they must look to the sky and gaze upon Silverpelt and their ancestors.

#3: Counselor Duties

The counselors are responsible for diplomacy and mental health. As one of the new roles seen in Clans of Norway, their daily routines differ from the warriors of the clan. Current depictions of counselors have shown them as gentle therapists helping individuals through their personal struggles. It’s important to define what the counselor does.

Like traditional warriors, counselors can be assigned to border patrols, marking the territory and examining for signs of trespassers. Should they come across another patrol, they’ll engage in diplomacy to prevent border scuffles, but this does not always work when tempers are high. In the case of a battle, counselors are to step away from the fight or call for reinforcements. Counselors who don’t move run the risk of being attacked in the heat of battle, though attacking a counselor is cause for punishment in all clans. Counselors should only engage in a fight if their lives are threatened. Doing otherwise can cause their role to be revoked.

Once upon a time, counselors were not taught to hunt. However, the Fire of the Long Heat changed things. ElkClan territory was ruined and CliffClan land was scorched, sending prey into unstable tunnels. Both clans had to work hard to support themselves. Nutstar of ElkClan was the first to note that while her warriors and story-keepers ran themselves ragged trying to feed the clan, many of her able clanmates, her counselors, lounged about. They insisted they were supporting the morale of the clans, but it frustrated Nutstar. She had more hunters, yet they did not know how to hunt. Lemmingstar of CliffClan had a similar issue, and called a private meeting with Nutstar at the Stacked Stones, joined only by a counselor and warrior each. The two leaders revealed their proposed alteration to the code at the next Gathering, where counselors would be taught to hunt to better support the clans. Whalestar of PuffinClan was the only one to disagree, as he was a traditional leader. Many older counselors, such as Maplesong of PuffinClan, still don’t know how to hunt, as the change was slow acting. All new counselors have the ability, however.

One of the biggest responsibilities of a counselor is attending counselor meetings. These meetings, either pre planned by senior counselors, or arranged by the deputy, are the cornerstone of clan diplomacy. Counselors from two or more clans meet at their borders, or at the Stacked Stones, in order to negotiate with the other clans. Prey and herbs are traded in exchange for other resources. Some of the traded resources included shifted borders, temporary warriors, and alliances, alongside the traditional prey and herbs. They try to negotiate peace should their clans be in a time of conflict. These counselor meetings strengthen the bonds between the clans and keep them united throughout all differences.

The second biggest responsibility of a counselor is the wellbeing of the clan. Healers focus on treating wounds and managing the clan’s herbs, but the counselors deal in the unseen wounds. They’ve developed their own list of disorders, plagues of the soul that make it difficult for a warrior to fulfill their duties. Conversation, mental tricks, and a few herbs are all tricks of the counselors to improve the mental health of their friends and family.


End file.
